A user equipment (UE) may be configured to establish a connection to at least one of a plurality of different networks or types of networks as well as with other UEs to perform a variety of different functionalities via the connection. For example, the UE may connect to a first type of network (e.g., Long Term Evolution (LTE) network) to communicate with another UE through the network connection (e.g., a user of the UE may perform a voice call or transmit a text to another user of another UE). In another example, the UE may connect to a second type of network (e.g., WiFi network) to receive browser data at a higher rate of data exchange. In a further example, the UE may directly connect to a further UE using a short-range communication protocol (e.g., BlueTooth).
Despite the various ways that the UEs may connect to networks or with other UEs, the functionality of receiving commercial mobile alert system (CMAS) messages remaining active is a regulatory requirement for any UE that is capable of connecting to a cellular network over which CMAS messages are broadcast (e.g., Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Wideband CDMA (WCDMA), LTE, etc.). Since the CMAS messages are only broadcast over a cellular network, the UE must remain connected, in some manner, to the cellular network, even when the UE has established a connection to a non-cellular network (e.g., WiFi network). However, leaving the baseband activated for this purpose is a drain on a limited power supply.